DENVER -- If you're a customer of Denver Water, someone will be watching you.

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Starting Monday, mandatory water restrictions took effect for more than one million customers of Denver Water.

Denver Water supplies not only the city of Denver, but also parts of Arvada, Broomfield, Littleton and most of Lakewood, along with Wheat Ridge, Glendale, Greenwood Village and several small water districts.

If you are under mandatory restrictions, you can only water your lawns and gardens every three days, only between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. and only for a maximum of three hours.

You could wash your car but only on your watering days and only with a bucket or hand-held hose.

You can water flowers and bushes anytime you want but only with a hand-held hose.

You also can't wash sidewalks, driveways or patios on any day except when necessary for health or safety reasons.

First-time offenders can expect a warning, but after that, fines for repeat offenders can reach as high as $250.

About 40 members of the sod-squad will be patrolling the city watching for residents who don't follow the rules.

They'll also rely on neighbors to report violations.

"We're in a crisis, a water crisis, and we have to be accountable to each other," said homeowner Nelson Bock.

The water restrictions will follow the circle-diamond-square schedule, based on the last two digits of your address.

Denver is one of more than a dozen areas with mandatory water restrictions now in place.